The present invention relates to a protective helmet with an improved suspension system and a method for making such a protective helmet.
Protective helmets are commonly worn in the industrial workplace to prevent or reduce the likelihood of head injuries. The hard hat is the most common and well-recognized protective helmet A hard hat consists of three essential componentsxe2x80x94a shell, a headband, and a suspension systemxe2x80x94which cooperate to reduce the potential for injury by attenuating some translational energy of the force of an impact to the helmet.
With respect to the construction and protection afforded by a hard hat, the American National Standards Institute (xe2x80x9cANSIxe2x80x9d) promulgates minimum performance requirements for protective helmets and further classifies helmets based on their ability to reduce the forces of impact and penetration, as well as their ability to protect against high voltage electric shock. See, for example, ANSI Z89.1-1997 (R1998), American National Standard for Industrial Head Protection.
As mentioned above, the hard hat components cooperate to provide the requisite level of protection. The hard hat shell itself causes any force of impact to be spread across the surface area of the shell. More importantly, the hard hat suspension separates the wearer""s head from the shell such that there is an air gap between the shell and the wearer""s head that provides for further attenuation of the force of an impact to the shell. Specifically, when an object strikes the shell of the hard hat, the shell itself flexes inward and the straps of the suspension will stretch. The air gap, which generally measures between one and two inches, accommodates the flexing of the shell and stretching of the straps, but, under normal conditions, prevents the wearer""s head from contacting the hard hat shell.
A hard hat suspension is typically constructed of two or three intersecting straps manufactured from a nylon fabric. Sewn to each end of each strap is a xe2x80x9ckey,xe2x80x9d which is then inserted into a molded slot in the shell referred to as a xe2x80x9ckey socket.xe2x80x9d The industry terms xe2x80x9c4-point suspensionxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9c6-point suspensionxe2x80x9d refer to the number of keys used in a particular suspension.
In manufacturing a hard hat with either a 4-point or a 6-point suspension, the most costly and time-consuming step is the assembly of the suspension. Specifically, the individual keys have to be sewn to the straps of the suspension.
It is therefore a paramount object of the present invention to provide a protective helmet that meets the requisite ANSI performance requirements yet is less costly and time-consuming to manufacture.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a protective helmet in which the construction and orientation of the straps lessens the likelihood that the straps will be pulled free of the keys as a result of the force of an impact to the shell.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a reading of the following description.
The present invention is a protective helmet with an improved suspension system and a method for making such a protective helmet. A preferred protective helmet manufactured in accordance with the present invention includes: a shell, a headband with an absorbent brow pad, and a suspension. The protective helmet may have a 4-point suspension comprising two intersecting straps, or a 6-point suspension, comprising three intersecting straps. In any event, a key is secured to each end of each of the straps. To secure the suspension to the shell of the protective helmet, the shell includes a plurality of key sockets spaced about the periphery of the shell along its lower edge. Each key of the suspension is received and retained in a respective key socket. Of particular importance to the protective helmet of the present invention, many (if not all) of the keys are molded directly to and around a strap, rather than sewn to the strap as is common in prior art constructions.
In the preferred manufacturing method, lengths of strap material are positioned in a mold that includes a series of alignment blocks that serve to guide and align the straps within the mold. Once the lengths of strap are so positioned, the mold is closed, and plastic is injected into the mold cavity to encapsulate the straps and form the plastic component, e.g., a key for the suspension of the protective helmet. In this regard, it is contemplated and preferred that the straps have a surface texture that allows the injected plastic to grip the strap material, further strengthening the bond between the strap and the molded component. A trimming die is used to trim any webbing scrap between parts or other extraneous materials resulting from the molding of the plastic component to the straps.